beckwitii



(Llntrh tatrs attnt @ffice L` II. BECKWITII, OF PORT JERVIS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, h1. COLGAN, OF i SAME PLACE, AND M. M. LIVINGSTON, OF NEW YORK CITY.

Letters Patent No. 68,340, dated September 3, ISG?, articulated August 19,- 1867.

IMPROVED BENDIN G MACHINE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Be it known that I, L. H. BECKWITII, of Port Jervis, in the county of Orange, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for Bending Couplings and `Pins for railroad cars, links, hooks, etc., cte. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of thc same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making part of this specification.

My invention consists in the combination of a suitable holding-box, former, and forming lever, so :arranged that the proper shape may be given to the rod or bar of metal te be bent. It consists also'in the combination with such holding-box of a cam-clamp, or its equivalent, for clamping or holding the rorlpr bar of metal in the holding-box whilst being bent. It also consists in the combination with such holding-bok of an adjustable setscrew for regulating the distance the rod or bar is to be thrust into the holding-box, so that a coupling, when bent, will have both its legs or sides of an equal length, and ready for being welded together. In the accompanying drawings- Figure I is a side elevation of my invention, partly in section.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

The machine I have illustrated is intended for bending railroad-ear couplings at one of its ends, and coupling-pins at the other. Each feature has, however, a similar mode of operation. I shall describe irst `that part of my invention designed for making couplings, links, ctc. v

A designates the former, or that part of the machine over which the metal is bent to give it the required form or shape. I3 is the holding-box, and it is arranged in such relation to the former that it will hold one leg or half of the rod or bar whilst the other is being bent or formed. In the present instancethis holding-box is made in the stock or body of the machine below the part called the former A, and the metal which is to be formed into the link, coupling, or other article, after being forced for the proper distance into theholding-box, is held immovable therein by a cam-shaped clamp, C. D is a set-scrcw, carrying on its end a stop-piece, s, arranged to travel in the holding-box B. This set-screw can be moved back and forth in a slot made horizontally in the stock or bodyof the machine. By moving this stop s to the desired `point in the holding-box, and screwing up the setfscrew D, the distance the-rod or bar is to be thrust into the holding-boxA can be regulated,

` and hence the said rod or bar may be bent so that both itsvlegs will be of exactly the same length. The forming device consists of a lever, E, provided with one or more rollers a a. The "lower" end of this lever is bifurcatcd, and the rollers (there are two shown in the drawing) are axled between the two legs, and the two legs are bent near their ends at right angles to the rest el' the lever, as shown at and pivotcdat their ends to the former A. The rollers are thus brought down below the mouth or" the holding-box B, so as-not to interfere with the insertion therein of the rod or bar, and at the same time in a proper position to operate on the said rod or bar for bending it over the former.

In operating the machine for bending couplings for railroad cars the forming-lever is thrown down in a horizontal position; the set-screw is adjusted so that the stop-piece will regulate the length of the leg within the holding-box. The cam-shaped clamp is then brought to bear on the rod or bar to hold it. The forminglever is then forced upward, and the rod or bar is then bent over the former. The horse-shoe shaped coupling may then be removed,` and the ends welded together in the usual way over the horn of' the anvil.

I will here remarkV that in bending couplings, as now practised, the most diilicult and tedious part is to bend the rod or bar so that the two legs will be ofthe same length. To explain: the practice commonly .employed in railroad repair shops is to bend the bar or rod gradually and carefully in a fork-shaped device,

called a foi-mer, which is placed in the hardy-hole of the anvil. By degrees the rod is bent, but 4it is very seldom that the two legs are of the same length; hence it is necessary to crowd down the longer leg till both legs are of the same length, when they can be bent towards cach other and welded together over the horn of thc anvil.

I will now describe that part of my invention designed for bending coupling-pinsi F is the holding-box, which is made in the upper' part of the former. The end of the machine in this instance constitutes the former,- and it is lettered G on the drawings. H is the forming-lever. This is bifur-A cated, and its legs c c straddle the former, and are piveted thereto, A roller, g, which is grooved to correspond to the rotundity of the pin, is axled'between the said legs c c. A set-screw, I, carrying a stop-piece, f, and arranged to operate similarly to that, I), is emoloyed, and its ollice is to regulate the length of the pin before its end is turned down to form the head.

The operation of this part of the machine is obvious. A coupling-pin of simple construction, und one that can be quickly made, is produced by this machine.

It is evident that the forming-leverscan be arranged in different trays, and secured otherwise than directly to the formers, and yet beur the same relation to the said formers and holding-boxes 'as herein described; and it is also evidentthat the holding-boxes may be separate from' the foriners. It is also evident that-the rollers may be grooved in anyway, according to the shape of the bar or rod to be bent; and that the holding-boxes and formers may be of a corresponding character; and the rollers may be stationary, if desired, or the lever may be solid instead of being provided with rollers, and the bending be eifected.

Wha-t I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A forming-lever, in combination with a holding-box and former, the whole constructed und arranged substantially as described, and having a mede of operation substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the set-screws D and I andstops F s with the holding-boxes, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified. I

3. The cam-shaped clamp C, in combination with the holding-box B and adjustable stop s, substantially as Specified, for holding the bar or rod in the holding-box Whilst being operated upon.

' L. H. BECKWITH.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS MARION, B. WHYSALL. 

